Apparatus for handling pneumatic web roll winding shafts

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for inflating and deflating pneumatic winding shafts and for pulling them from and inserting them into web roll cores comprises a face-type air coupling mechanism and a jaw-type shaft gripping mechanism which maintains complementary components of the air coupling mechanism in sealing contact with each other. A pneumatic circuit with associated control valves provides for substantial automation of the air coupling and uncoupling operations, as well as for substantial automation of the shaft gripping and releasing operations.

United States Patent Lemke et a1.

[54] APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PNEUMATIC WEB ROLL WINDING SHAFIS [72] Inventors: Donald L. Lemke, Marathon; Ronald D.

Ostrander, Wausau, both of Wis.

[73] Assignee: Murray Machinery, Inc., Wausau, Wis.

[22] Filed: Dec. 28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 101,746

[51] Int. Cl ..B65h 75/02 [58] Field ofSearch ..242/55, 55.1,72 3,81; 29/234 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,184 2/1956 Harvey, Jr. et al ..242/81 X [451 July 11, 1972 2,736,507 2/ 1956 Neese et al. ..242/55 3,131,880 5/1964 Miller et a]... ..242/8l X 3,223,341 12/ l 965 Gadde ..242/72 Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor Anorney.lames E. Nilles [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for inflating and deflating pneumatic winding shafts and for pulling them from and inserting them into web roll cores comprises a face-type air coupling mechanism and a jaw-type shaft gripping mechanism which maintains complementary components of the air coupling mechanism in sealing contact with each other. A pneumatic circuit with associated control valves provides for substantial automation of the air coupling and uncoupling operations, as well as for substantial automation of the shaft gripping and releasing operations.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 1 1 I972 sum 1 or 3 INVENTORS= DONALD L. LEMKE RONALD D.OSTRANDER ATTORNEY PHENTEBJM 1 1 m2 sum 3 OF 3 INVENTORS:

DONALD L. LEMKE RONALD D. OSTRANDER BY: ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PNEUMATIC WEB ROLL WINDING SI-IAFTS The invention relates to the winding of paper webs and similar material into rolls and it is concerned more particularly with an apparatus for handling winding shafts after the completion of one web rolling operation, and before the start of the next. An apparatus for such handling of winding shafts, as heretofore constructed, is disclosed, for instance, in US. Pat. No. 3,131,880 granted May 5, 1964 to C. W. Miller et al. for Web Roll Winder Shaft Stripper."

The present invention contemplates an improved apparatus of the mentioned character and more particularly one that will overcome certain difficulties and inadequacies which have heretofore been encountered in the handling of pneumatic winding shafts.

Pneumatic winding shafts are well known and widely used in the paper industry. Such shafts are ordinarily equipped with an air bag assembly which is inflated in order to radially expand the shaft into firm engagement with a surrounding web roll core assembly. Upon completion of a roll winding operation the bag assembly is deflated so that the winding shaft can be readily pulled from the finished roll. For re-use of the shaft in winding another web roll, the shaft is inserted in its deflated condition into a new core assembly, and before a web roll is wound on the new core assembly, the bag assembly of the inserted shaft is reinflated so that proper winding torque may be transmitted to the core assembly for the next winding operation.

Equipment for pulling a deflated shaft out of a finished roll and for inserting it into a new core assembly conventionally comprises a reciprocable puller carriage which mounts a suitable mechanism for gripping the shaft and for moving it axially back and forth in unison with the carriage.

In order to inflate the shaft it has heretofore been customary to manually apply an air hose to a check valve fitting on the shaft after it had been inserted into a core assembly and uncoupled from the carriage; and to keep the air hose on the fitting of the uncoupled shaft until the desired air pressure in its bag assembly had been obtained. Similarly, in order to deflate the inserted shaft before it was coupled to the puller carriage the checkvalve was manually unseated to kept open long enough to permit the accumulated pressure air in the bag assembly, or at least most of it, to escape. Further, in order to release the shaft from the gripping mechanism of the puller carriage after the deflated shaft had been inserted into a core assembly and before it was inflated therein, it has heretofore been customary to open the gripping mechanism by hand preparatory to withdrawal of the puller carriage from the deflated shaft and core assembly.

The principal object of the present invention is to eliminate the mentioned manual operations and the monitoring of the shaft inflating and deflating operations by an attendant operator.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus incorporating a reciprocable puller carriage and equipment associated therewith which will automatically establish a pneumatic connection between the shaft and an air pressure source upon advance movement of the carriage toward the shaft; which will automatically couple the shaft mechanically to the carriage so as to maintain the pneumatic connection during back and forth movement of the carriage and shaft as a unit; and which will provide for uncoupling of the shaft from the carriage and for separation of the pneumatic connection after the shaft has been inflated within a surrounding core assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above mentioned character incorporating a face-type air coupling mechanism for establishing and interrupting said pneumatic connection between the shaft and carriage, and a pneumatically actuated control element on the carriage for selectively admitting air pressure to and emitting air pressure from the bag assembly of the shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above mentioned character which will automatically limit the build-up of air pressure in the bag assembly of the shaft, and which will automatically insure deflation of the bag assembly to a predetermined minimum pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above mentioned character which is relatively simple in construction, reliable in operation and which may be manufactured at relatively low costs.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is illus trated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1-4 are schematic outlines of an apparatus embodying the invention and illustrating the apparatus in different operating conditions;

F 16. 5 is an enlarged top view of the puller carriage and associated mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view along line VIVI of H6. 5.

Referring to FIG. 1, the principal components of the apparatus, as shown somewhat symbolically, are: a reciprocable shaft puller unit I, a check valve fitting 2 on a pneumatic winding shaft 3, and a pneumatic circuit including solenoid operated spool valves 4, 6 and 7, and pressure switches 8 and The shaft puller unit as shown in greater detail in H6. 5, comprises a carriage base 11, which is mounted in conformity with conventional practice on an up and down adjustable support structure, not shown, for horizontal back and forth movement by drive chains 12 and 13.

Mounted on the base 11 is a shaft gripping mechanism comprising a pair of shaft clamping jaws l4 and 16, a single acting pneumatic ram 17, and a power transmitting mechanism in the form of toggle links 18 and 19 operatively connecting the ram 17 with the clamping jaws 14 and 16. The jaws are swingable about vertical pivot centers 21, 22 on the base 11 from a shaft gripping position in which they are shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 to a shaft releasing position in which they are shown in FIG. 4. A coil spring 23 is connected at its opposite ends to the clamping jaws 14, 16 and pretensioned to urge the jaws into shaft gripping position. Expansion of the ram 17 by admission of air pressure into the barrel end of its cylinder swings the jaws apart in opposition to the tension of the spring 23, and emission of air pressure from the barrel end of the ram cylinder causes return of the jaws to their shaft gripping position and contraction of the ram 17. I

Also mounted on the carriage base 11 is a double acting pneumatic ram 24 and a seat member 26 of a face-type air coupling mechanism generally designated by the reference numeral 27. The cylinder of the ram 24 is supported on the carriage base 11 by means of an oblong loop spring 28 which is secured to the barrel end of the ram 24 by cap screws 29, and to a bracket 31 on the base 11 by a cap screw 32. The bracket 31 is adjustable back and forth on the base 11 in the direction of the carriage travel by cap screws 33.

Referring to FIG. 6, the seat member 26 of the air coupling 27 has a spherical end face 34 and a cylindrical internal passage 36 which terminates at the face 34 and forms a port 37 therein. The cylindrical passage 36 is connected with a tapped radial port 38 of the seat member 26 by an internal diverging passage system 39. Reciprocably fitted into the cylindrical passage 36 is a plunger 41 which has a radially reduced end portion 42 in axial alignment with and for movement through the port 37. Stud connections 43 secure the seat member 34 to the gland end of the double acting pneumatic ram 24 whose piston rod 44 has a threaded connection with the plunger 41. The cylinder of the ram 24 has tapped ports 46 and 47 adjacent its gland and barrel ends, respectively, for connection with hose lines as shown in FIGS. 1-4 and as will be discussed more fully hereinbelow.

The check valve fitting 2 on the winding shaft 3 provides a face type seat member 48 for cooperative engagement with the face type seat member 26 of the air coupling 27. An annular, spherically concave end face 49 of the seat member 48 matches the spherically convex end face 34 of the seat member 26. The spherically concave end face 49 is formed on a coverplate 51 of the check valve housing 52, the coverplate being preferably made of metal and the portion of the seat member 26 which presents the spherically convex end face 34 being preferably made of a polymeric amide such as NYLON to insure a substantially air tight seal between the complementarily seat members 26 and 48 when they are forced against each other under the pressure of the loop spring 28 as will be discussed more fully hereinbelow.

The interior of the valve housing 52 affords an air passage between the central opening of the coverplate 51 and an axial bore 53 through the base of the housing 52. A reciprocable spool 54 within the housing 52 is urged into seated position on the cover plate 51 by a conical wire spring 56. The spool 56 has an internal passage 57 and an external groove system 58 permitting air to flow therethrough when the valve spool 54 is unseated. In the seated condition of the valve spool 54 as shown in FIG. 6, air flow from the bore 53 through the central aperture of the coverplate 51 is positively prevented by sealing contact of the spool 54 on the inside face of the coverplate 51. The spool 54 is preferably made of a polymeric amide, such as NYLON to insure an air tight seal under the pressure of the conical spring 56.

The check valve housing 52 is enclosed within a coupling cup 59, and a threaded stem portion 61 of the check valve housing 52 is screwed into the winding shaft 3 and drawn up tight to firmly secure the check valve and cup assembly 52, 59 to the shaft 3. In the assembled condition of the check valve, cup and shaft, the cup affords a radial coupling shoulder 61 for cooperative engagement by the clamping jaws 14 and 16 as illustrated by FIG. 5.

The pneumatic winding shaft 3 per se, may be of any conventional type, for instance of the type shown in the drawings, wherein a central tubular inner member 62 (FIG. is surrounded by an inflateable and deflateable air bag assembly 63, and the air bag assembly is surrounded by a split circumferential tube assembly 64 which may be radially expanded and contracted by inflation and deflation, respectively, of the air bag assembly 63.

In FIG. 1, the shaft 3 is shown in an inserted position within a tubular core assembly 66 of a finished web roll 67. Conventional equipment, not shown, is provided to align the axis of the shaft 3 with the center of the spherically convex seat member 26 of the air coupling 27. The check valve and cup assembly 52, 59 of FIG. 6 is shown in simplified form in FIG. 1 and in the similar FIGS. 2-4. In these figures, a ball 54' takes the place of the check valve spool 54 shown in FIG. 6, and the coupling shoulder 61 is shown as part of the spherically concave seat member 48.

In the condition of the apparatus as illustrated by FIG. 1, the pneumatic winding shaft is assumed to be inflated and the shaft puller unit is poised for advance movement toward the adjacent end of the shaft 3. The pneumatic circuit is in rest condition, that is, the pneumatic line 68 which is connected to the barrel end of the ram 17 is vented and cut off from the air pressure supply line 69 by the de-energized solenoid valve 4; the pneumatic line 71 which is connected to the barrel end of the double acting pneumatic ram 24 is vented and cut off from the supply line 69 by the de-energized solenoid valve 6; and the pneumatic line 72 which is connected to the gland end of the double acting pneumatic cylinder 24 and by a branch line 73 to the threaded port 38 (FIG. 6) of the seat member 26 is vented and cut off from the pressure supply line 69 by the deenergized solenoid valve 7. As a result, the ram 17 is kept contracted by the tension of the coil spring 23, and the plunger 41 is free to float axially in the cylindrical passage of the seat member 26 of the air coupling mechanism 27.

In order to initiate deflation of the winding shaft 3 preparatory to its withdrawal from the core assembly 66, the shaft puller unit 1 is advanced from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 1 to the position in which it is shown in FIG. 2. This is preferably accomplished by push button control, not shown, of the drive mechanism for the chains 12, 13. Advancement of the shaft puller unit 1 to the FIG. 2 position causes the clamping jaws l4 and 16 to slip over the coupling cup 59 (FIG. 5) and snap into engagement with the shoulder 61 as illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 5. Spreading of the jaws 14, 16 due to their axial movement over the cup 59 and their subsequent closing in over the shoulder 61 first causes expansion and then contraction of the ram 17, which is readily accommodated by the vented condition of the pneumatic line 68 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Advance movement of the shaft puller unit 1 to the FIG. 2 position also causes cooperative engagement of the spherically convex end surface 34 (FIG. 6) of the seat member 26 with the spherically concave end surface 49 of the seat member 48. Initial contact of the convex surface 34 with the concave surface 49 is established when the puller unit 1 has advanced far enough to force the jaws 14, 16 into engagement with the periphery of the cup 59 but before the jaws have snapped together over the shoulder 61. The final advance movement of the shaft puller which causes the jaws to snap over the shoulder 61 compresses the loop spring 28, and as a result the seat members 26 and 48 of the air coupling 27 are kept in tight sealing contact with each other by the expanding pressure of the compressed loop spring 28 while the shaft puller unit is in mechanically coupled condition by locking engagement of the jaws l4, 16 with the coupling shoulder 61.

After the shaft puller unit 1 has been pneumatically and mechanically coupled to the shaft 3 in the above described manner, the drive of the chains 12, 13 is stopped, and the solenoid of the spool valve 6 is energized, preferably automatically by a limit switch, not shown, while the valves 4 and 7 remain de-energized. As shown in FIG. 2, the energized valve 6 establishes a pneumatic connection between the barrel end of the double acting pneumatic ram 24 and the pressure supply line 69 through the pneumatic line 71. Pressure air entering the barrel end of ram 24 causes the plunger 42 to unseat the check valve in the fitting 2 of shaft 3, as illustrated by FIG. 2, and consequent deflation of the air bag assembly of the shaft. That is, the air pressure within the bag assembly escapes through the unseated check valve into the internal passage system 36, 39 of the seat member 26 and into the branch 73 of the pneumatic line 72 which is vented through the de-energized solenoid valve 7.

Deflation of the shaft 3 is monitored by the pressure switch 8 which is pneumatically connected with the line 72 and electrically connected with the solenoid coil of the valve 6 as symbolically indicated by the dotted line 74. When the pressure in line 72 falls below a preselected value, say 4 p.s.i., the pressure switch 8 de-energizes the solenoid valve 6 and causes its valve spool to return to the rest position shown in FIG. 1.

After deflation of the shaft 3 has been completed, the puller unit 1 is retracted by reversal of the drive mechanism for the chains 12, 13. The shaft 3 remains pneumatically and mechanically coupled to the puller unit during the retracting stroke of the puller unit which is continued until the deflated shaft 3 has been completely withdrawn from the core assembly 66 of the finished web roll 67. The roll with its empty core assembly is then moved out of the way and a new core assembly 66 (FIG. 3) for use in winding another web roll is placed into axial alignment with the withdrawn winding shaft 3.

Insertion of the shaft 3 into the new core assembly and its subsequent inflation are illustrated by FIG. 3. In order to advance the puller unit 1 together with the deflated shaft 3 from their retracted position toward the new core assembly 66 the chains 12, 13 are set in motion by push button control, not shown. The advance movement is continued until the deflated shaft has become properly inserted in the core assembly 66' and the chain drive is then stopped, again preferably by a limit switch, not shown. As the next step, the solenoid valve 7 is energized while the valves 4 and 6 remain de-energized. In its energized condition, the valve 7, as shown in FIG. 3, admits air pressure from the supply line 69 into the gland end of the ram 24 through the line 72 and into the internal passage system 36, 39 (FIG. 6) of the seat member 26. Air pressure building up in the gland end of the ram 24 causes the plunger 41 to recede from the check valve fitting 2, and pressure air entering the internal passage system of the seat member 26 unseats the check valve of the fitting 2 and inflates the bag assembly of the shaft 3. The inflation is monitored by the pressure switch 9 which has an electrical connection 76 with the solenoid coil of the valve 7 and which de-energizes the latter when the air pressure in the bag assembly of the shaft has attained the desired value.

FIG. 4 illustrates the uncoupling of the puller carriage 1 from the re-inflated shaft 3. This is accomplished by pressure switch 9 which has an electrical connection 77 with the solenoid valve 4 and energizes the latter at the same time it deenergizes valve 7. That is, the valve 4 is energized while the valves 6 and 7 remain de-energized, and pressure air from the supply line 69 enters the barrel end of the ram 17 through the line 68. As a result, the clamping jaws l4, 16 are swung into their shaft releasing position, and while they are held in that position by the pressurized ram 17, the shaft puller unit 1 is retracted from the inflated shaft by reverse drive of the chains 12, 13. When the puller unit has cleared the shaft by a relatively shoft travel, the chain drive is stopped, valve 4 is deenergized allowing the clamping jaws to close, and the inflated shaft and core assembly may then be transferred by suitable equipment, not shown, to a winding station of conventional type for winding of a new web roll.

In the actual construction of the apparatus, the solenoid valves 4, 6 and 7 together with their associated pneumatic lines 68, 71, 72, 73 as well as the pressure switches 8 and 9 are mounted on the puller unit 1 for back and forth movement therewith, and the air pressure supply line 69 is a long flexible hose which accommodates the back and forth movement of the puller unit 1. Likewise, a long flexible electrical cable, not shown, is attached to the puller unit for control of the solenoid valves 4, 6 and 7.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for pulling and inserting pneumatic winding.

shafts from and into web roll cores comprising, a reciprocable puller carriage, face-type complementary air coupling means mounted, respectively, on said carriage and on the end of a pneumatic web roll winding shaft adjacent thereto for movement of said coupling means into and out of sealing contact with each other by movement of said carriage toward and away from said shaft; and releasable shaft gripping means mounted on said carriage and cooperable with said shaft so as to maintain said complementary air coupling means in sealing contact with each other.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said carriage mounted and shaft mounted air coupling means comprises a seat member presenting a sealing face and internal passage means terminating at said sealing face, the internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member enclosing a reciprocable plunger element, and the internal passage means of said shaft mounted seat member enclosing a spring biased movable check valve element adapted to be unseated by said plunger element of said carriage mounted seat member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, and further comprising a double acting pneumatic ram operatively connected with said reciprocable plunger element so that movement of the latter by said ram in opposite directions will unseat and reseat said spring biased check valve element within said shaft mounted seat member.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said plunger element has a radially reduced end portion, and wherein said carriage mounted seat member is ported for admission and emission of air pressure to and from a portion of said internal passage means surrounding said radially reduced end portion of said plunger element.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 and further comprising a pneumatic circuit and associated valve means operable sequentially to first admit air pressure to one end of said double acting pneumatic ram so as to project said reduced end portion of said plunger element into unseating engagement with said movable check valve element and simultaneously vent the other end of said double acting pneumatic ram and the internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member; and to subsequently pressurize said other end of said ram and admit air pressure to said internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member, and simultaneously vent said one end of said ram.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising air pressure control means associated with said pneumatic circuit and operable to maintain said internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member vented until air pressure therein has decreased to a predetermined value.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising pressure control means associated with said pneumatic circuit and operable to limit pressure build-up in said internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member to a predetermined value.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shaft gripping means comprises a pair of clamping jaws movably mounted on said puller carriage, spring means urging said jaws into shaft engaging position, a pneumatic one-way ram mounted on said carriage, and motion transmitting means operatively interposed between said clamping jaws and said one-way ram so as to move said jaws to a shaft releasing position in opposition to said spring means by a power stroke of said ram.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said clamping jaws are mounted on said puller carriage at fixed pivot centers, and wherein said seat member of said carriage mounted air coupling means is mounted on a resilient support operative to maintain the seat members of said carriage mounted and shaft mounted air coupling means in sealing contact with each other upon engagement of said shaft by said clamping jaws.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said seat member of said carriage mounted air coupling means and said double acting pneumatic ram are connected to each other for back and forth movement as a unit relative to said carriage. 

1. Apparatus for pulling and inserting pneumatic winding shafts from and into web roll cores comprising, a reciprocable puller carriage, face-type complementary air coupling means mounted, respectively, on said carriage and on the end of a pneumatic web roll winding shaft adjacent thereto for movement of said coupling means into and out of sealing contact with each other by movement of said carriage toward and away from said shaft; and releasable shaft gripping means mounted on said carriage and cooperable with said shaft so as to maintain said complementary air coupling means in sealing contact with each other.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said carriage mounted and shaft mounted air coupling means comprises a seat member presenting a sealing face and internal passage means terminating at said sealing face, the internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member enclosing a reciprocable plunger element, and the internal passage means of said shaft mounted seat member enclosing a spring biased movable check valve element adapted to be unseated by said plunger element of said carriage mounted seat member.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, and further comprising a double acting pneumatic ram operatively connected with said reciprocable plunger element so that movement of the latter by said ram in opposite directions will unseat and reseat said spring biased check valve element within said shaft mounted seat member.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said plunger element has a radially reduced end portion, and wherein said carriage mounted seat member is ported for admission and emission of air pressure to and from a portion of said internal passage means surrounding said radially reduced end portion of said plunger element.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 and further comprising a pneumatic circuit and associated valve means operable sequentially to first admit air pressure to one end of said double acting pneumatic ram so as to project said reduced end portion of said plunger element into unseating engagement with said movable check valve element and simultaneously vent the other end of said double acting pneumatic ram and the internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member; and to subsequently pressurize said other end of said ram and admit air pressure to said internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member, and simultaneously vent said one end of said ram.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising air pressure control means associated with said pneumatic circuit and operable to maintain said internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member vented until air pressure therein has decreased to a predetermined value.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising pressure control means associated with said pneumatic circuit and operable to limit pressure build-up in said internal passage means of said carriage mounted seat member to a predetermined value.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shaft gripping means comprises a pair of clamping jaws movably mounted on said puller carriage, spring means urging said jaws into shaft engaging position, a pneumatic one-way ram mounted on said carriage, and motion transmitting means operatively interposed between said clamping jaws and said one-way ram so as to move said jaws to a shaft releasing position in opposition to said spring means by a power stroke of said ram.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said clamping jaws are mounted on said puller carriage at fixed pivot centers, and wherein said seat member of said carriage mounted air coupling means is mounted on a resilient support operative to maintain the seat members of said carriage mounted and shaft mounted air coupling means in sealing contacT with each other upon engagement of said shaft by said clamping jaws.
 10. A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said seat member of said carriage mounted air coupling means and said double acting pneumatic ram are connected to each other for back and forth movement as a unit relative to said carriage. 